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January 17, 2001 India Tests Nuclear - Capable Agni II Missile
REUTERS INDEX: TOP STORIES | INTERNATIONAL | BUSINESS | TECHNOLOGY
By REUTERS
Filed at 6:56 a.m. ET
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India successfully test-fired a longer-range version of its intermediate-range Agni ballistic missile from its eastern coast Wednesday, the defense ministry said.
It was the second test of the upgraded version of the original Agni, a two-stage all-solid motor missile with a 2,000 km (1,250 miles) range, which a defense analyst said indicated substantial progress in the indigenous missile development project.
The first test was held in April 1999, prompting tests within days by Pakistan of its medium-range Ghauri II missile.
Agni, named after a Hindu fire god, is seen as a potential deterrent to India's nuclear-armed neighbor China. It is part of a wide-ranging missile development program.
Defense experts say the missile can carry nuclear warheads and strike targets deep within China as well as Pakistan.
India carried out nuclear tests in 1998 and declared itself a nuclear weapons state. Since then, it has said it will build a minimum credible nuclear deterrent.
The Indian government said other countries, including neighboring China and Pakistan, were given advance notice of the Agni test, which was conducted hours before China's second most powerful leader Li Peng left for home after a nine-day visit.
``I can confirm that the Russian Federation, United States, U.K., People's Republic of China, Germany, Japan, Pakistan were informed in advance,'' foreign ministry spokesman Raminder Singh Jassal said.
DECLINED COMMENT
The spokesman, however, declined to comment when asked if any of the world powers had urged New Delhi to drop the plan to conduct the missile test.
The U.S. ambassador to India, Richard Celeste, told Reuters that Washington had been given notice of the test, but declined to comment further.
The United States, which engaged India in marathon arms control talks after its 1998 nuclear tests, has repeatedly asked New Delhi to restrain its missile and nuclear programs.
The Indian defense ministry said the Agni, which could carry a one-ton warhead, had been fired from a mobile launcher in its ''final operational configuration.''
''The second test flight of Agni II, surface-to-surface missile was conducted today at 1001 hours from the interim test range, Chandipur, Orissa in its final operational configuration'' the ministry in a statement.
It quoted Agni program director R.N. Agarwal as saying that test results showed all mission objectives had been achieved.
``The test in operational configuration indicates substantive progress, although we are still a long way from actual deployment,'' said retired air commodore Jasjit Singh, who heads the government-funded Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses.
The test flight was witnessed by Defense Minister George Fernandes, his scientific adviser, the air force chief and the vice-chief of the army staff.
The ministry said that Fernandes, complimenting the scientists and engineers of the Defense Research and Development Organization, had ``highlighted the role and relevance of Agni II in meeting our national security interests.''
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